Card display device



r June 25, 1957 G. A. BAKER CARD DISPLAY DEVICE Fild Aug. 1o,V 1955 IN V EN TOR. 6mm Ma? CARD DISPLAY DEVICE Giles A. Baker, Scarsdale, N. Y., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Pyro Plastics Corporation, Union, N. J.

The present invention is directed to a display device,

more' particularly to means for displaying cards or the like and protecting them from accidental damage. Itis among the objects of the present invention to provide a display device which is simple in construction, which embodies elements molded from substantially transparent plastic materials, which Aare readily assembled and the junction between which is concealed to make the same appear as a unitary structure.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide an advertising or display device, wherein the data is fully visible but is also protected against deterioration or damage by outside inuences.

It is further among the objects of the present invention to provide a device of the character described having means integral therewith to hold said device above the surface of a table or the like on which it is placed so that it may be readily lifted and also for other purposes such as for use as a T-square or a straight edge.

In practicing the present invention there is provided a body preferably rectangular in shape, made of a llat sheet of synthetic plastic material which is substantially transparent. In the lower or under face of the body, there is a recess which is usually rectangular in shape. Within this recess is placed a card or other sheet having advertising or other data thereon so that such data is visible from the upper surface of the body.

There is also provided a flat retainer of molded material which preferably but not necessarily, is also substantially transparent. The retainer has an upper flange of such shape as to fit into the recess and cement is applied to the upper edge thereof so as to secure it to the body and hold the card firmly in position. The retainer also has a downwardly extending flange, the lower edge of which is below the lower surface of the body whereby the latter is held slightly above the surface of a table or the like. This makes it easy to grasp the' body and raise it from the table.

'I'he retainer also has a pair of extensions along one edge which are in alinement with each other and provide an edge of a T-square, which is formed by a bar extending from the body and at right angles to the plane of the front edges of said extensions. Roughening or stippling is provided at the upper surface of the body in a rectangular area above the area where the cement is introduced, thereby improving the appearance of the device. It also has the effect yof forming a frame for the card, thereby emphasizing and calling attention to the data thereon.

In the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof and in which like reference characters indicate' like parts,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of display device made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view thereof taken along line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view thereof taken along line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the device shown in Fig.

United States Patent() 2v 1, some parts being broken away and some parts being shown in section for clearness;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view from below of the body of the device;

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5 of the under side of the-retainer.

'There is provided a'at substantially transparent body 1 of suitable plastic material; said body may have slightly rounded corners for convenience. In the under face' thereof is a substantially rectangular recess 2 covering the major portion of the area of body 1. On the upper surface of said body is a roughened rectangular area 3 located above the periphery of the recess. A card 4 of a size to t into recess 2 has data S on the upper surface thereof. It is inserted within the recess, as shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3.

A at retainer 6 has an upwardly extending flange' 7 along the upper edges thereof. The shape and sizeof said ange is such that it tits snugly within recess 2, as shown in Fig. 2. A layer of cement 8 may be provided all around the edge of flange 7, thereby sealing card 4 in position. Thereby it is protected against any outside influences such as dirt,grnoisture and the like and by reason of the' dished surface of retainer 6, there is no danger of bending of the card or of accidental displacement thereof.

Retainer 6 also has a downwardly extending flange 9 of sulcient depth so that when the device rests on a table, the under surface of body 1 is held slightly above the surface of the table. Thereby it is a simple matter to place the fingers of the hand under the edge of body 1 to lift the same from the table.

At one lateral edge of retainer 6 is a pair of spaced lateral extensions 10, the upper surfaces of which are in contact with the under surface of body 1 (Fig. 2). The fronts 11 of said extensions are at and in the same plane, parallel to said lateral edge of retainer 6. When the device is placed on a flat surface, the lower edges of fronts 11 rest on said surface, and the opposite flange 9 also rests on said surface, providing support along two parallel lines.

In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a bar 12 integral with body 1 extending from a point between extensions 11 and having a straight edge 13 which is at iight angles to the plane of front 11. By this arrange ment, the device may be used as a T-square with fronts 11 being guides along the drawing board or the like.

Although the invention has been described setting forth a single specific embodiment of the invention, such disclosure is for the purpose of illustrating the invention and not to limit it as various changes in the details may be made within the spirit of the invention. For instance, bar 12 may be omitted and the device used only as a display or advertising arrangement. The shape of the body may be different from that shown and it is not essential that the retainer and recess be rectangular as other shapes are suitable. However, usually the card or sheet held in the device is rectangular so that ordinarily rectangular elements are provided. Flanges 7 or 9 may be made discontinuous but for the best results, flange 7 should be continuous. Any suitable materials of construction may be used and in place of synthetic plastic materials, glass or the like are suitable although plastic materials being non-shatterable are preferred.

The device may be modified so as to permit it to be upright on a at surface in order that the data on card 5 may be readily seen; or it may stand upright leaning against a vertical Wall or other object. It may lie flat on the surface. Extensions 10 may have the fronts thereof of substantial Width to form a base to support the device in the upright position, in which case bar 12 may be omitted.

These and other changes Yin the details of construction maybe made within the principles herein set forth, in view of which the invention is to bebreadly construed and not tobe limited except by the character ofthe claims appended hereto. M

I claim: Y 'V1.,A card display device and T-square: comprising a substantially transparent dat body, a substantially rectangular recess in the under yface of said body, a sheet having data thereon fitted into said recess, a at'retainer having upwardly andrdownwardly Vextending flanges along the yperiphery thereof providing a dished area inthe upper surfaceV thereof, saidrupwardly extending 4 flange fitting into said recess andcontacting the edges ofsaid sheet, said upward ange Ybeing cemented into said recess, a pair lof spaced extensions along one lside of said body having the front edges thereof in alinement, said extensions having their upper faces in contact with said under face of said lar recess in the' under face of said body, a sheet having data thereon tted into said recess, a fiat retainer having upwardly and downwardly extending flanges along the periphery thereof providing a dished area in the upper surface thereof, said upwardly extending ange itting into said recess and contacting the edges of said sheet, said upward flange being cemented into said recess, a pair of spaced extensions along one side of said body having the front edges thereof in alimentent, said extensions having their upper faces in contact with said under face of said body, and a bar integral with said body extending 'from a point intermediate said extensions, said bar having an edge thereof at right angles to the line drawn between edge thereof at right angles to the line drawn between said front edges, whereby said bar edge and said front edges of said extensions form a T-square, the under surface of said bar being in the plane of the upper faces of said extensions.

.g ReferencesCited in the file of this patent VUNITED STATES PATENTS 357,689 Porrera Feb. 15, 1887 '592,968 Gipe Nov. `2, 1897 782,199 Keplinger Feb. 7, 1905 855,935 Christian June 4, 1907 1,220,418 Hawkes Mar. 27, 1917 

